The Member of Parliament for the Saboba Constituency, Charles Bintim, has pleaded for pardon from constituents in Chereponi and Saboba for what he termed disappointment from the elite in both tribes.
Addressing members of the Anufo(Chokosi) and Konkomba communities at a durbar in Chereponi and Saboba, the legislator lamented how “shameful and distasteful” conflicts are.
“I think that we those who call ourselves the educated ones have disappointed our people. We should bow our heads in shame,” he said.
Mr Bintim, who is a Konkomba, however, insisted that there is no conflict between Konkombas and Anufos (Chokosis) is widely reported.
“I want the whole world to understand that there’s no conflict between Konkombas and Chokosis. What we have is skirmishes in Nanduni and it will be resolved.
“It is shameful that our meetings are not to discuss how to improve our lives but to discuss how to end a baseless conflict. What of the Konkomba has the Chokosis taken that they want to retrieve and what of the Chokosis is with the Konkombas that they also want to retrieve that we cannot live in peace any longer,” Mr Bintim poured out.
The Member of Parliament was accompanied by his colleague MPs for Chereponi and Wulensi.
The parliamentarians called for the gathering after the Minister of Defence warned them of an imminent reprisal attacks between the two feuding tribes.
There were a lot of small groups of both tribes but according to the leadership of the Konkombas in Bung in the Yunyoo Constituency, they were just a meeting between kinsmen and not to plan attacks.
The supposed planned attack was to be executed on the celebration of the 62nd independence parade on Wednesday, March 6, which has been scheduled to take place in the Northern Region of Tamale.
Addressing the durbar and various groups in some selected communities in Chereponi, Saboba, and Yunyoo, a teary Chereponi MP Samuel Jabanyiti appealed for a total ceasefire.
“We lag behind in all developmental issues, we have bad roads, schools, health centers, and cannot even feed so why don’t we meet and discuss how to bring development but rather attack each other,” he quizzed.
A member of the Anufor Progressive Union (APU) and former District Chief Executive of Chereponi under the Mahama led government, Hajia Mary Nakobu, after keenly listening to leadership of both sides, who almost turned the peace process meeting into a blame game, cautioned speakers and leaders to desist from such acts.
“Speakers should endeavour to avoid who did what but concentrate on how to resolve the issues and move us forward. I represent the Anufors and we’re for peace to let peace reign,” she said.
A clash erupted between Konkombas and Anufors in some communities in the Chereponi and Saboba districts.
The almost seven-day clash witnessed the torching of six communities by attackers from both sides.
At least a dozen were killed while three persons were arrested by the police.
By Zubaida Ismail|3news.com|Ghana